Collapsible bed



Ju y 3 1951- J. MARTIN 2,562,197

COLLAPSIBLE BED Filed April 2, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l v INVENTOR I JOSEPH MARTIN ATTORNEY J. MARTIN COLLAPSIBLE BED July 31, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1948 INVENTOR JO PH MARTIN ATTORNEY J. MARTIN COLLAFSIBLE BED July 31, 1951 a sheets-sheet 5 Filed April 2, 1948 INVENTOR JOSEPH MARTIN ATTORNEY Patented July 31 l951 COLLAPSIBLE BED Joseph Martin, Laurelton, N. Y., assignor to Eclipse Sleep Products Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application April 2, 1948, Serial No. 18,549

8 Claims. (01. 5-381 This invention relates to collapsible beds, generally known as couch beds, chair beds and the like.

Among the objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide an improved combination couch bed, chair bed or the like, including three sections, one substantially horizontal at all times and the other two foldable against one another into and out of erect or back forming position, such as disclosed in my prior United States Letters Patents Nos. 2,257,753 and 2,257,754, both issued October 7, 1941.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved combination couch bed, chair bed or the like, including three sections, one substantially horizontal and the other two pivotally connected to the first and foldable against one another into and out of back rest forming position, which foldable sections each have only one pair of supports intermediate their connecting edges and linkage connecting said pairs of supports to one another and to said supports not only to cooperate with said. pairs of supports and sections to support the bed sections in bed formation, but also to actuate said pairs of supports into and out of supporting psition, and finally also to assume a toggle lock to anchor said bed sections in back rest forming position.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the invention will appear from the subjoined detail description of one specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the-accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the combination in chair or couch formation.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental side elevation of a part of the back rest.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental side elevation on the scale of Fig. 1 partly extended.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the bed sections still further extended as compared to Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the combination fully extended into bed formation.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line E6 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a plan view partly broken away.

In the embodiment shown, the main bedsection I, constituting the seat in couch or chair formation, has pivotally connected to its rear end the intermediate bed section 2, which in turn has pivotally connected to its rear end the rear section 3, the sections 2 and 3 being extended into horizontal alinement with one another in bed formation in Fig. 8, and folded up against. one

2 another in erect or back forming position Fig. 1. 1 r

The section I preferably includes a U-shaped frame composed of a front angle iron i, and two side angle irons 5 and 6 connected to one another with a downwardly extending U-shaped brace or cross arm 1 preferably spaced from the rear ends of the angle irons 5 and 6 but connected to the angle irons 5 and 5. The intermediate section 2, including the angle irons 8 and 9 are pivotally connected at their front ends to the rear ends of the" angle irons 5 and 6, respectively, and are connected at their rear ends to the angle iron H]. In addition, in the interest of reinforcement the angle irons 8 and 9 are also connected to one another by the downwardly extending U-shaped brace or cross arm 1 l. The rear end section 3 includes the side angle irons I2 and I3 pivotally connected at their front ends to the rear ends of the angle irons 8 and -9 and connected to one another at their rear ends by the-rear angle iron l4.

Near the front angle iron 4, but spaced from the same there are connected to the angle irons 5 and 6 the downwardly extending angle iron legs [5 provided with casters I6 at the lower ends thereof. To the rear ends of the angle irons 5 and 6, there are connected the downwardly exfaceof the downwardly extending web of each of the angle irons 5 and 6, there is pivotally connected a link 20. To each of these links 20 there is fixed a leg 2| extending at right angles thereto and having a caster connected to the lower end thereof. Each of the links 20 has pivotally connected thereto the front end ofthe elongated link 23 having a short portion 24 bent at an angle to the long portion 25. The rear end of each of the links 23 is pivotally connected to the inner face of the downwardly extending web of one of the side bars l2 and I3. The short front arm 24 of the link 23 is also, as shown in Fig. 3, pivotally connected to the inner face of the link 20. Each of the links 23 in turn has connected to its inner face alink 26 at its front end. The rear end of each link 26 in turn is pivotally connected to the inner face of the laterally extending web 21 of the leg 28 composed of angle iron. There is a leg 28 provided for the rear end of each side angle iron I2, I3, the web 21 of each leg being pivotally connected to the outer face of the downwardly extending web of a side angle iron I2, I3. Preferably the inwardly extendin webs of each leg 28 has connected to it the cross bar 29 composed of fiat stock. Preferably as shown each leg 28 has journalled at its lower end a caster 30-. Y

The overall altitude of each leg H from the upper face thereof to the lower face of its cap I8 is shorter than the overall length from the upper face of the link 20 to the supporting periphery of the caster 22 so that in bed forming position, as shown in Fig. 4., the rear end of the main section I is supported on the casters 22, and consequently in bed formation the entire structure is rollably supported on the casters I6, 22 and 33. However, as shown in Fig. 1, in chair or couch formation, when the leg 2| is folded under the bed section I, the rear end of bed section I rests on the friction caps I8. As a result of the frictional engagement of the caps I8 of the legs I! with the supporting floor, the operator is materially facilitated when converting the chair or couch into bed formation. At such time, see Fig. 1, the attendant need only grip the cross bar 29 and pull it outwardly against the frictional resistance effected between the caps I5 and the supporting fioor. After the initial outward pull to overcome the toggle lock formed by the pairs of links 23 and 25 with the side bars I 2 and I 3, pressure can be exercised on the upper end of the bed section 2 readily to depress the bed sections 2 and 3 into bed formation. While so moving from bed or chair position into bed formation, the linkage will act upon the legs 2! to raise the same into supporting position and thereby elevate the legs I! out of supporting position. 4

In turn, when converting the device into chair or couch formation out of bed formation, it is only necessary for the attendant to engage the cross angle iron I8 and raise it through the position shown in Fig. 4 into the position shown in Fig. 3, and thereupon place his or her foot on the cross bar 29 and press it inward against the bed section 3 until the pivot pins 3i of the links 23 move from the position shown in Fig. 3 where they are disposed'to the right of the'pivot pins 32 and 33 into the position shown in Fig. 2 where they are disposed to the left of thepivot pins 3|, which is the toggle locking position. As a result of such toggle lock, the back rest so formed by the bed sections 2' and 3 in the position shown in Fig. 1 is fool-proof against collapsing when pressure is exercised on the same in sitting 'position. The pivot pins 32 as shownof course connect the side bars 8 and S of the intermediate bed section to the side bars I2 and I3, respectively, of the rear bed section 3, and the pivot pins 33 of course connectthe links 23 and 25 to one another.

When these bed sections are used, they will of course be equipped with cushion or mattress sections 3 35 and 3E. The mattress sections 34 and 35 are frequently connected to one another by a fabric hinge 31 and are preferably at least substantially the same in length and width so that they may rest upon one another as shown in Fig. 1 in couch formation. In'the present instance, the cushion or mattress section 36 is shorter in length than either of the sections 34 or 35 to correspond to the distance from the upper face of the section 35 to the upper end of the intermediate bed section 'lfwhichfaccording to the present design makes it possible to place the mattress sections 34, 35 and 36 adjacent to one another on the bed sections I, 2 and 3 to correspond to the overall upper face of the bed sections 5, 2 and 3 in bed formation.

With the present invention it will also appear that th braces I and II clear the body of the user When resting on the couch in bed formation so that the spring sections 38 and 39 of the bed sections 5 and 2 may cooperate with the mattress sections 34 and 35 to adjust themselves to the weight and shape of the body resting thereon. The bed section 3 also purposely is made shorter than the bed sections I and 2 so that it may be used for the head resting portion. The bed sec tion 3 is also provided with a spring section M1 to cooperate with the mattress section 33 to adjust itself to the weight and shape or shapes of the heads resting on the mattress section 36.

On the inner faces of the legs N, there are formed the projections 4! to form abutments for the links 20 when in chair or couch formation, These projections ti form limiting stops to limit downward movement of the links 20 in turn to lock the sections 2 and 3 in upright or back rest position when the toggle lock aforesaid is formed by the links 25 and 26. In this bed or chair posi tion, the casters 33 will rest against the bend in the links 23 between the short portions 24 and 25 and the side angle irons i2 and I3 of the bed section 3 will rest against the lower faces of the side angle irons 8 and 9 of the bed section 2.

On the other hand, in bed forming position, when the sections I, 2 and 3 rest on the pairs of casters I5, 22 and 33, the arms 25 of the pairs of links 23 engage the lower faces of the horizon tally extending webs 42 of the side bars l2 and I3, and the angle irons l2 and I3 engage the lower faces of the adjacent portions of the angle irons 8 and 9, respectively, in turn to form limiting stops to limit the downward deflection of the adjacent ends of the bed sections 2 and 3 when in bed formation. I

It is obvious that the connecting means be tween the several bed sections may be used with a chair bed as well as with a couch bed, that is, with a combination in which a chair is eon-1 verted into and out of bed formation or a couch is converted into and out of bed formation, with" out departing from the general spirit of the invention. In view thereof, it is intended that, when the word couch is used in the claims, it is not to be understood as limited to a couch bed as distinguished from a chair bed or sleeping chair. I

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: H

l. The combination of a main bed section, an intermediate bed section and an end bed sec: tion pivotally connected to one another; first supports pivotally connected to said main bed section adjacent said intermediate bed section, second supports pivotally connected to the free end of said end bed section, a first pair of links pivotally connected at one of their ends to said first supports and at their other ends to said end, bed section adjacent to said intermediatebed section, and a second pair of links pivotally con-v nected at one of their ends to said second sup-E. ports and at their other ends to said first pair: of links.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the pivotal connections between said second pair of links and said first pair of links are disposed adjacent to said end bed section but spaced from the pivotal connections of said first pair of links with said end bed section.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said first bed section has supports fixedly secured at its free end and at its end adjacent to said intermediate bed section to support the rear end of the main bed section in couch iorming position, and casters formed only on the supporting ends of the supports disposed at the free end of said first bed section and formed on the supporting ends of the supports disposed at the free end of said end bed section and also on the supporting ends of the supports pivotally connected to said first bed section.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 in which the supports fixedly secured at the end of said first bed section adjacent to said intermediate bed section are provided with friction forming supporting ends to cooperate with the supports at the free end of said first bed section to support the combination in couch formation but shorter than the supports pivotally connected to said first bed section so that in bed formation the casters on said several supports will enable the combination to be freely rolled from one position to another.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3 in which the supports fixedly secured at the end of said first bed section adjacent to said intermediate bed section are provided with friction forming supporting ends to cooperate with the supports at the free end of said first bed section to support the combination in couch formation and also to cooperate With the supporting floor to resist movement of the combination when converting the combination from couch formation into bed formation.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 3 in which abutments are formed on the supports fixedly secured to said first bed section adjacent to said intermediate bed section to limit the movement of said first supports when said intermediate and end bed sections are swung up into couch formation.

7. The combination of a main bed section, an intermediate bed section and an end bed section pivotally connected to one another, first supports pivotally connected to said main bed section adjacent said. intermediate bed section, second supports pivotally connected to the free end of said end bed section, a first pair of links pivotally connected at one of their ends to said first supports and at their other ends to said end bed section adjacent to said intermediate bed section, a second pair of links pivotally connected at one of their ends to said second supports and at their other ends to said first pair of links, and side bars on said end bed section to serve as abutments for said pairs of links in bed formation.

8. The combination of a main bed section, an

' intermediate bed section and an end bed section pivotally connected to one another, first supports pivotally connected to said main bed section adjacent said intermediate bed section, second supports pivotally connected to the free end of said end bed section, a first pair of links pivotally connected at one of their ends to said first supports and at their other ends to said end bed section adjacent to said intermediate bed section, and a second pair of links pivotally connected at one of their ends to said second supports and at their other ends to said first pair of links, the pivotal connections of said first pair of links with said first supports, the pivotal connections between said first pair of links and said end bed section, and the pivotal connections between said second pair of links and said first pair of links cooperating to form a toggle lock for said intermediate and end bed sections in couch formation.

JOSEPH MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,034,985 Lilley Mar. 24, 1936 2,233,893 Martin Mar. 4, 1941 2,257,753 Martin Oct. 7, 1941 2,257,754 Martin Oct. 7, 1941 

